Grounds Care and Bird Control

Grounds managers with institutional and commercial facilities need to understand the threats birds pose and the available control options in order to design effective bird-control systems.

Besides making a mess of building facades, birds can contribute to the spread of disease. The fungal disease exists in soil and bird droppings. Humans can contract it by touching bird droppings or infected soil, and it can be airborne.

To control bird populations, building occupants and visitors can help reduce attractiveness of facilities and grounds to roosting birds. Their involvement helps managers develop the most effective bird control systems.

First, everyone in the area should be discouraged from feeding birds.

Second, managers can use exclusion techniques to keep birds under control and out of the area. Doors should remain closed, and windows should have screens. Warehouses and large commercial buildings, such as retail stores and airports, commonly have bird populations established inside, which originated when doors were left open.

Third, managers should encourage building occupants to report sightings of unwanted birds immediately before the bird population becomes established.